I Will Not Kill Children
by Deranged Little Monkey
Summary: Oh, the joys of dealing with children who have oversized egos and way too much free time.
1. Silly Girls With Questionable Morals

Logan stalked into a dimly lit and slightly foul-smelling bar, glaring at anyone who made eye contact. He was not in a good mood. He hadn't gotten any sleep the night before because some smart-ass students at Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters had decided to sneak out and managed to get themselves in trouble with the police. Fortunately, he'd been able to hunt them down and catch them just before they'd gotten the bright idea of getting violent and using their powers and exposing them all to the public. Then he'd been harassed all the next day by some air-head student who seemed to think she was capable of seducing a man more than twice her age. It had taken all his self-control to refrain from slapping her upside the head and telling her to get a life. Now he had to find some mutant who the professor had detected in a part of town with a bad reputation. Today was definitely not his day.

Logan focused on his task at hand and began his search. He looked towards the bar, then immediately turned away. He really did not want to see an obviously underage girl wear revealing clothes covered in black sequins. (Brittany Spears is not a good role model, kids.) Realizing that scantily clad young girls were not safe in this setting, Logan took it upon himself to convince her to go home. He approached her without looking below the neck. She eyed him suspiciously, then pulled out a cigarette. "Got a light?" she asked.

"Aren't you a little young for that?" he replied as he made himself comfortable on the stool beside her. As she opened her mouth to reply, Logan turned to the bartender. "Gimme whatever's cheapest," he growled. The girl raised an eyebrow at him, amused. "You obviously don't get out much," she smirked. "That's really no way to charm a lady."

"It's for me, not you, little girl," he said, pulling out a cigar. She gave him a furious look. "I'm not a child," she snapped. Logan turned too face her fully. "You're right," he said and lit his cigar. He held out his lighter and the girl moved to light her cigarette, but he pulled it away before she could. "Twelve is so grown up," he said.

"I'm almost sixteen!" she said angrily. Logan just turned away from her as the bartender gave him his drink. The girl watched him, not exactly sure what to do.

"What's your name, kid?" he asked after a moment.

"Raven," she said, glancing at him to see what he thought. "Raven Nightwing."

"Cute," he replied. "You make that up yourself?"

Raven leapt up from her seat. "I'm not putting up with this!" she shouted. "You should respect me!'

Logan took a swig of his drink. "And why's that, kid?" he asked calmly.

She grinned and held out her fist in front of her. "I'm more powerful than you could possibly imagine." As she spoke, a light formed and grew while she opened her fisted hand.

Logan stood up, showing no sort of emotion. "You're the one I came to see," he said. He grabbed her arm and yanked her towards the door. "Let's have a little chat." Raven struggled, but she discovered that it was rather hard to pull away from a man with inhuman strength.

"Get away from me!" shrieked Raven as Logan pulled her outside. Realizing that wasn't going to get him to let her go, she resorted to less fair tactics. "Help! Rape!" she screamed.

Logan didn't even blink. "You chose the wrong neighborhood to pull that stunt in," he told her. "I'm surprised you lasted this long." He let go of her and took his cigar out of his mouth, which he'd been holding between his teeth the whole time. "Now, business," he said.

Raven glared at him. "What do you want?"

"There's a place for mutants like us," he said, getting right to the point. "A safe place. Xavier's School for Gifted Brats like yourself. You can develop your powers without worrying about a lynch mob."

Raven looked at him haughtily. "I don't need your help. I can take care of myself," she sneered.

"What, by hanging out in bars and showing a pretty light to people?"

Raven just looked at the ground and scuffed her feet on the pavement. Logan sighed. "I wondered why you didn't put up more of a fight. Let's get going." He started walking towards his motorcycle.

"I'm more powerful than you- is that a motorcycle?"

Soon afterwards, they were on their way to the Institute.


	2. Love and Obsession: aka Self Degradation

Author's note: I added some to the end of the first chapter so it didn't just cut off and so it went where I could continue from. I doubt anyone needed me to say anything; just thought I'd point it out...

--

"Logan! There you are!"

Logan winced at the high-pitched voice. That sound was the one in the world thing he would run away from. He had been looking forward to getting back to the school and escaping the superior, snotty attitude of the girl he'd taken in, but now that he thought about it, she seemed to be the lesser of two annoyances.

A dazzling girl dressed in a long white dress with beautiful blonde hair down to her waist came running down the stairs, though much less gracefully than she seemed to think. "Logan, I have been _dying_ to see you! Where have you been?" she cried.

Logan stared at her for a moment, then stepped around her and stalked out of the room. The girl in white pouted as she watched him go. Raven, who had come in with Logan, cleared her throat. The other girl turned and looked her over.

"And just whom might you be?" she asked, with a look of slight disgust at the newcomer's revealing outfit.

Raven pulled herself to her full height, which was unfortunately only a bit above five feet. "_I_ am Raven Nightwing," she said. "And you'd better remember it," she added, trying to be intimidating.

The only reaction this got was an eye-roll. "Whatever. _I_ am Gloria Beaumont, and _you_ had better remember _that_." With that amazing comeback, she whirled around and strutted off. Her exit was a bit less dramatic as she had hoped since she had to get her hair out of her eyes and mouth, which happened often when she turned too quickly or if it was a windy day.

Raven was now alone in an entirely new setting. Though she would never admit it, she felt a bit afraid and lost.

"You must be the new girl Logan brought," said a voice. A boy her age, obviously another student, had entered the room. He was drop-dead gorgeous beyond all description; Raven was overwhelmed by his amazing good looks. She nodded, unable to think of anything to say.

He smiled at her, causing her heart to pound and her head spin with delight. "I'm Richard," he said. "Richard Kendrick." He stepped forward to shake her hand. "You can call me Rich. All my friends do."

Raven almost fainted. She wasn't used to attractive young men holding her hand. "I'm Raven Nightwing," she said in a daze.

"That's a beautiful name."

Raven couldn't do anything but blush and giggle. She'd never acted this way before (or so she told herself), but something about him made her feel different.

"I'd give you a tour of the place myself, but I need to get going," he told her. "Just wander around until you find someone who'll give you directions." Then he left the room, leaving Raven staring after him.

--

A few moments later…

Logan had gone to the kitchen to grab something to eat, which he hadn't done all day. He longed for a beer. It helped him put up with the torment that comes with being around teenagers too long. He really didn't know why he'd chosen to stick around here. Xavier always managed to convince him to do things against his nature, like taking the responsibility to guide and instruct young morons armed with super-powers they couldn't, or wouldn't, control (also known as babysitting).

"Logan!"

He groaned. He could not figure out how he'd become so popular among the students. He tried to be antisocial and intimidating, but they refused to be deterred.

"Logan, so nice to see you again," Richard said as he sauntered over.

"Get lost, Kendrick," was the growled reply. Richard ignored this and made himself comfortable in the seat across the table from him.

"You know you love me, Logan. Everyone does," he smiled charmingly.

Logan glared at the boy. "You keep telling yourself that, bub. And we are not on a first name basis." Just as he was saying this, two girls walked into the room.

"Aw, Logan, don't be that way," the first girl said. "You know we adore our Richy," she crooned, nearly causing the man to bash his head on the table. The second girl was silent, apparently too busy batting her eyelashes at the boy to say a word.

"You know I love you girls too, pet," said Richard. They giggled and blushed. He was about to say more when he noticed the look Logan was giving him.

"Stop. Right. NOW." Logan said icily. Richard gulped and nodded. Nothing seemed to happen, then the girls blinked as if coming out of a daze. "Richard Kendrick!" one shrieked. Richard bolted out of the room.


End file.
